Men\'s Health Malaysia - Jun 2017

10 JUNE 2017

Can I keep losing

weight while still

enjoying a pint?

• MATT

Few drinks are as maligned as a pint of
beer. And that’s somewhat justified. After
all, when a few swift ones turns into five
or six, you can be consuming the caloric
equivalent of a box of Krispy Kremes.
But not all beer drinkers are doughnuts.
Pick your tap wisely and you can enjoy a
post-work drink without hurting your
beach-ready plans. In fact, infrequent
sessions can do you good – moderate
beer consumption has been linked to
many benefits, from reduced stress levels
to a lower heart-disease risk.
The key differential is ABV, or alcohol by
volume. A high ABV spells more KCAL –
the stronger the brew, the more your
waistline will suffer the effects. So, before
you drink that craft IPA, bursting with
citrusy hops, know that it’s lardier than a
pint of mild bitter. When it comes to beer,
appearances can be deceptive – and
that’s before you’ve even had a sip.

HARD STUFF

LITE BEER

WHAT’LL IT BE, THEN?

Pour over the calories found in your

favourite pint before you go to the pub

PREMIUM-

STRENGTH L AGER

338 calories

STOUT

210 calories

PALE ALE

182 calories

BITTER

180 calories

REGULAR-

STRENGTH LAGER

170 calories

BROWN ALE

160 calories

MILD BITTER

142 calories

WORDS

ALEX HARRIS

PHOTOGRAPHS

MICHAEL HEDGE AND PETER CROWTHER

10 JUNE 2017 http://www.mens-health.com.my 11

WHAT’LL IT BE, THEN?

WORDS

ALEX HARRIS

PHOTOGRAPH

ROWAN FEE

I’ve never really

liked flossing –

and fortunately

I was told

recently that I needn’t

bother. It’s not more

fake news, is it?

I find that

push-ups hurt

my shoulders.

What am I doing wrong?

• ALFIE
  Just having the prefix “bodyweight” doesn’t
  necessarily mean an exercise is simple. In
  fact, moves that engage multiple muscle
  groups are very easy to get wrong. Despite
  its association with bedroom floors and
  rudimentary bootcamps, the push-up is a
  fairly complex move. “If your shoulders hurt,
  it’s probably due to your elbow and hand
  positions,” says Ben Bruno, personal trainer
  and the strength coach’s strength coach.
  “Flaring your elbows or having them tucked
  in too close to your body stresses the joint.”
  So keep those elbows at a 30- to 45-degree
  angle, then flare your hands out – your index
  fingers should be at one and 11 o’clock – to
  reduce torque on your shoulder joint. If
  you’re still face-planting when you hit rep
  10, you’d best go see a physio.


• RICHARD
  It’s certainly true that last year the US
  government stopped advising people to floss,
  and the British healthcare system is
  considering its position on the toothy topic.
  However, this is largely because an
  Associated Press report highlighted the fact
  that there’s no conclusive evidence that
  flossing helps. Now, this could simply be due
  to a dearth of research – there’s no new data
  to suggest that flossing doesn’t work either.
  Dental floss is an inexpensive product and
  scientists are not overwhelmed by financial
  incentives to research it heavily, says Dr. Soo-
  Woo Kim of Harvard’s School of Dental
  Medicine. All the same, Kim does claim to see
  clear benefits when he examines the mouths
  of faithful flossers. Those who tend not to get
  the bit between their teeth more often exhibit
  the kind of plaque build-up which can lead to
  gum disease, cavities and bad breath – yes,
  just what all the adverts say. So just grit your
  teeth and get on with it.

Thankfully, damage to the ol’

“biscuits and cheese” is no

longer a sign to hang up your

runners. Scientific advances

mean that lost cartilage isn’t

gone for good and knee

surgery is no longer a

mobility death knell. “Things

have changed,” says

orthopaedic surgeon Dr

Nicholas DiNubile. “We can

now regenerate joint cushions

using a patient’s own stem

cells. Surgeons can grow cells

on tissue and lay them into the

knee through a small incision.”

So speak to your doctor before

you give up your marathon

hopes. But in the meantime,

work your backside off –

strengthening your glutes

relieves pressure on your

knees and will increase your

road mileage.

Years of

running have

done a number

on my knees.

Should I get rid

of my running

shoes?

• ANDY

GET YOUR ARSE IN GEAR

“A weak butt puts

pressure on your

back, hamstrings,

knees and hips,”

says sports

medicine physician

Dr Jordan Metzl.

Time to clench

for victory

i/ HIP RAISE 10 REPS

Work these into your morning

routine. Lie on the floor, with knees

up and feet grounded. Tense your

abs and thrust up, holding for one

second before returning.

ii/ BAND ACTIVATION

20 REPS

Hook an anchored resistance band to

your ankle. Get on all fours. Curl the

ankle toward your back, tensing that

glute. Do 10 per side before you run.